Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Marlow’s Character
HOD tells the story of Marlow’s spiritual journey (voyage of discovery and self-discovery)
Marlow seems to be a manifestation of Conrad (1 st
part of novel is largely autobiographical)
Observes/judges – politeness covers up the harshness of his judgments
 brick maker and manager both speak frankly to him because his mask of courtesy hides his contempt of them.
Man of modesty/courage
Is the moral grounding point of the novel/the only white man in the Congo that recognizes the evils of
Colonialism in Africa).
The ugly truths he faces are truths that we all have to face
 acknowledges his own heart of darkness/the call of the primitive in his own nature. Conrad proves this symbolically when Marlow confuses the pounding of the savage drum with the beating of his own heart.
The Manager
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Villain of HOD
 Stands for all the bureaucrats who calmly oversee the company’s mass enslavement of the
Africans.
 Hates Kurtz because he’s threatened by him (his position)
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No moral sensibility
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Common, with no special talents (is the manager because he does not get sick)
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Opposite of his rival Kurtz
The Accountant
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Poses a strict contrast to what Marlow first sees when he gets to Africa
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Cares about job and appearance (dressed in white amid darkness)
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Marlow admires him
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Devotion to efficiency blinds him to the sufferings of both whites and blacks
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Sick agent is brought into office, he complains that the groans distract him (not concerned with the fact that the man is dying).
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Hates the Africans because they make “too much noise.”
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*Conrad seems to suggest through this character that even at its best, the Company is inhumane – caring more about numbers, than people. Quote p.22 (provides irony) How could transactions that lead to wholesale death be perfectly correct?
Narrator
Reports Marlow’s tale after having heard it previously
Has been affected by it
Imagery at beginning to the end of the novel proves it. (beginning) – impressed by light on the
Thames p.18, p20; thinks of nautical history in terms of light “bearers of a spark from the sacred fire;” and at the (end) imagination is full of darkness (last sentence of novel p.94)
Setting
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Jungles of Africa


Tale told by narrator aboard a boat at the mouth of the Thames
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Time of day (that tale is told) is significant – sunset (as tale turns gloomier, images of darkness get more pervasive); evening on boat grows darker gradually (when Marlow’s tale is done, it is late at night – listeners are enveloped in dark)
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London = civilization - contrasts with Congo = wilderness
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Thames (civilization) = light of civilization (light imagery of the beginning) VS Congo = heart
(middle) of darkness, undiscovered wilderness
 Marlow’s lie Light truth VS Dark truth – inherent in every soul

Black people typifying truth and reality (white souls) VS White man’s black souls
Theme/s
1) Isolation of characters = theme of solitude (removal of restraints/bring out man’s true nature)
2) Man’s heart of darkness - Darkness of symbolism + imagery = the opposite of progress and enlightenment. Man’s heart of darkness symbolizes: a) interior of the jungle b) Inner Station – black slavery and white cruelty c)
Kurtz’ black heart d) The inner heart of every human being
3) The brutality of Colonization: inhumanity of man to fellow man.
4) The tragedy of a brilliant and admired man, the Belgian trader Kurtz, who succumbs to this dark force. He is not unlike the hero of a Greek tragedy in that he is a supposedly noble human being who, through self-delusion and repression of his conscience, suffers a downfall. In the end, he understands but fails to subdue the evil within himself.
5) Present an odyssey in which a traveler, Marlow, confronts the dangers of a foreboding wilderness and the people it holds in its grasp. In so doing, he also confronts his own inner self. Like the hero of
Homer’s
Odyssey , that ancient tale in which one man becomes every man in the journey through life,
Marlow is a curious adventurer who presses on in the face of danger. His journey teaches him that the darkest and most perilous place in the world is not the jungle, but the heart of a human being who succumbs to his evil impulses.
Sub-themes
1) Notion of work fending off (darkness) to stay “sane.” Work strengthens character and makes you less likely to lose your grip in difficult situations. White characters are largely unattractive because they don’t do their work
2) Self Restraint (takes determination, but may save you from being grim consequences of thoughtless actions). Examples: a) Black helmsman on Marlow’s boat – inability to restrain himself leads to his death p. 66/61; b) Kurtz: subject of story – lack of restraint to be evil; c) cannibals restraint through starving – they do not attack their white persecutors p. 57.
3) Truth - Words cannot be trusted (can lie)/actions can be (cannot lie). (Kurtz is a great orator) but actions can) develops in this section. P.91-98. Truth has two sides - good - evil
light - dark
white - black
*At end Marlow’s truth about Kurtz is contrasted with his Intended’s truth about Kurtz. Marlow’s weapon of destruction for Kurtz’s intended is TRUTH – truth would fatally wound her – chooses a lie: proves he has changed (discovered a depth of compassion).
4) Illusions (necessary – especially for his women characters (like Marlow’s aunt “…how out of touch women are with the truth” p. 27, p.63. and delusions – truth and recognition of inner truth

5) Marlow’s interest in Kurtz becomes an obsession
6) Theme of illusions and delusions p.91
7) “Tall” things in Kurtz’s Intended’s house symbolize the height and strength of her love
compared to Kurtz’s shallow and low character p 90.
Style
Tale is told so prose resembles a speaking voice:
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Pauses (dashes)
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Hesitations
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Repetitions
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Digressions p.63-66
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Difficulty in story telling in having audience understand p.42.
POV
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First person
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Actual speaking sailor tells story
 Marlow’s tale is framed by the narration of a nameless narrator (who is an observer) –
 ‘ ‘ indicates Marlow’s words told by narrator; no ‘ ‘
indicates narrator’s words – e.g. p.32.

Reasons: get the sensation of a crusty sailor telling a story/other ways of POV would not accomplish the idea that Marlow is working out the meaning of his tale as he goes along (we are part of the process).
Form and Structure
*Framework structure: unnamed character tells story – his growth (internally is major emphasis in the novel)
1) Structured as a journey of discovery both externally (in the jungle) and internally (in Marlow’s mind). * The deeper he penetrates into the heart of the jungle, the deeper he delves within himself).
2) Time is Fractured: doesn’t tell tale beginning to end (skips around in relating events). * Marlow tells us his thoughts as they occur to him. (Conrad tries to find a form of writing which mirrored human thought). There are forward/backward leaps; interruptions; and thoughts left dangling. This is the same form and structure used by Faulkner.
Climax
This occurs when Marlow finally reaches Kurtz, only to discover that the jungle has corrupted him physically, morally, and mentally. The jungle, of course, is as much the jungle within Kurtz–the tangling undergrowth of evil desires that seize control of his soul–as the jungle without.

Chapter One Notes
1) -Narrator exhibits optimism that was typical of Victorians (thinks British civilization is going to make the world better through science and technology).
Lawyer/accountant/director/narrator seem to symbolize Victorian bourgeoisie whom
Marlow’s tale addresses as a warning (believed enlightenment would overcome backwardness) and that light (enlightenment) would conquer the darkness of ignorance and superstition.
2)
Image patterns of light/dark; white/black are established. P.5 “one of the darkest places of the earth” (civilized land of “enlightenment” was once primitive wilderness
3)
Africa map in shop window p. 9. “Snake” – allusion/imagery/foreshadowing (snake charmed me p.22.)
4) Ominous atmosphere is created before Marlow even leaves for Africa – foreshadowing p.24-
25/allusion of snake/Company’s offices are gloomy and strange (officials behave as if they have something to hide)/Doctor’s words and actions p.25-26.
5) In “outer” Africa
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Unsettling impression is continued
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Suggests that conquering the jungle is a task so tremendous that it is almost hopeless
(sailors are dying at a pace of 3 per day; p. 29 contemptuousness of Belgian official suggests jungle is a strong opponent – not easily conquered); Marlow is appalled by everything he sees p.29 and 30 – work happening with lack of reason and progress, black slaves with iron collars, and men crawling away to die.
6) The trek to the Central Station
Meets manager of Central Station
Meets brick maker p.28 (symbolizes the inefficiency of the place – has never
made any bricks)
Painting owned by brickmaker is symbolic p. 39. Painting suggests that Kurtz knows and understands the true nature of the Company as well as his relation to it p.29. “Blindfolded bearers of light destroy what they profess to enlighten” (lighted torch: bearers of light is the light of enlightenment and amid darkness of ignorance Blindfolded? – Torch light on the face was sinister.
Symbolism
1) White
2) Black
White souls of the blacks contrasted with the black souls of the whites
White string of cotton around the starving black boy’s neck
White colors and cuffs worn by the accountant are phony
Women in Belgian company’s office knit with black wool
dark tragedy to follow
Marlow’s predecessor dies because of a fight over 2 black hens
Heads on Kurtz’ fence are black
Background of Kurtz’ painting is black
3) Yellow: Cowardice and corruption – marks the Congo area on the map in the Brussels office
4) Painting owned by the brick maker
5) Brick maker and pail with hole in it used to fight the fire and useless blasting of cliff: -
“progress’ of enlightenment, - inadequacy.

Chapter 2 & 3 Notes
Characters
Kurtz’s intended: lives under the delusion that Kurtz was generous, kind, noble (Marlow doesn’t enlighten her, says that Kurtz say s her name as he dies (lies), represents: 1) Victorian civilization
(lost to Kurtz), woven partly in truth, partly in the lies we need to go on living, and 2) stereotypical view of women – like aunt – relegated to a world of “beautiful illusions.”
Kurtz’ Mistress: the soul of the jungle – wild/gorgeous savage and superb – leader of Kurtz’ army
– the most fearless of his followers: as Kurtz leaves she stretches her arms out to him – symbolizes the jungle that destroys Kurtz.
The Russian: sailor who wandered the river for two years – was devoted to Kurtz: says Kurtz has
“enlarged” his mind – colorful outfit which reminds Marlow of a harlequin (clown) – is innocent in his almost child-like awe of Kurtz. His purpose is to (fill in plot details on Kurtz). He contrasts his innocence with Kurtz’ evilness (one of the few “good” white men) – irony – he is a fool – he is
“too dull to know he is being assaulted by the powers of darkness”
Kurtz: Learn about Kurtz mainly through the thoughts and feelings of other characters. His actual appearance is disappointing. He is the focus of the novel: he is present in this respect by the effect he has on others (some characters – Intended/Russian are defined solely by their relationship to him). Kurtz symbolizes a microcosm (a whole in a miniature) of the white man’s failure in Africa.
Culture and civilization of Europe is evident in Kurtz – orator, writer, poet, musician, artist, politician, ivory procurer. He is a universal genius, a hollow man without integrity or any sense of social responsibility. Kurtz shows us the consequence of inadequate, self-knowledge (journeys to
Africa eager to do good completely unaware of the dark side of his nature – the side that will respond to the call of the primitive). Kurtz recognizes the evil of his actions “the horror – the horror” (his dying words).